Desktop Electron Microscopy

Since the introduction of electron microscopes in the 1930s, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has developed into a critical tool within numerous different research fields, spanning everything from materials science to forensics, to industrial manufacturing, and even to the life sciences. As soon as microscopic information about the surface or near-surface region of a specimen is needed, SEM becomes a necessary tool. For that reason, the method finds applications in nearly every branch of science, technology, and industry. Desktop SEM instruments boast enhanced ease of use, democratizing SEM technology. Additionally, they have the added benefit of reduced frame size. While traditional “floor model” SEM instrumentation can require a specialized room or facility, desktop instrumentation is far more robust. Some have even taken their desktop SEMs on the road, providing on-site electron microscopy analysis via mobile laboratories.